Stronger in Mind and Body: Reclaiming Fitness and Mental Strength After Service
Service life is built around routine. Early starts. Physical training. Mental focus. Teamwork. Purpose. For many veterans, that structure is not just familiar — it’s foundational. But when military life ends, what happens to that discipline, drive and identity?
For some, the shift to civilian life means less movement, less structure and a growing sense that something is missing. Physical strength may fade. Mental health may fluctuate. Confidence can take a hit. But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
Across the UK, veterans are finding new ways to stay fit, rebuild mental resilience and reconnect with their bodies and minds. Whether it’s through sport, the gym, outdoor challenges, group support or mindful habits, these efforts are helping veterans feel strong again — in every sense.
At Justice4Heroes, we believe strength is not about what you can lift. It’s about what you can carry — and how you rise again after life changes. This blog explores how veterans are regaining both physical and mental strength after service.
Fitness After the Forces: The Challenge
Military training instils a high level of physical fitness, but it also does something else — it makes that fitness part of your identity. When the routine stops, many veterans feel the loss of that connection deeply.
Common challenges include:
Lack of motivation without a structured routine
Anxiety or self-consciousness about returning to a gym or team environment
Ongoing injuries or chronic pain from service
Hearing loss or PTSD making crowded places feel overwhelming
Loss of purpose or focus that once fuelled performance
These are real, and they’re valid. But there’s a growing number of organisations helping veterans overcome these barriers and discover new ways to stay active and well.
Real UK Initiatives Supporting Veteran Fitness and Wellbeing
1. The Fighting Chance (London and Online)
A charity using non-contact boxing training to support veterans with mental health issues, including PTSD and depression. Their programme combines physical fitness with emotional regulation, peer support and one-to-one mentoring.
Offers trauma-informed coaching
Builds confidence and stress management
Connects veterans to employment and training pathways
2. Team Rubicon UK (Now RE:ACT Disaster Response)
Originally founded by military veterans, RE:ACT provides disaster relief services — but part of their mission includes engaging former service personnel in physically and mentally purposeful volunteering roles.
Keeps veterans active through response training
Involves fitness assessments and team deployment
Encourages discipline, purpose and resilience
3. Walking With The Wounded – Walking Home for Christmas
An annual campaign that encourages veterans and supporters to take part in sponsored walks during the winter to raise awareness for mental health. It’s more than a fundraiser — it’s a reminder that movement is powerful.
Provides an accessible, low-pressure fitness goal
Brings together veterans across the UK
Helps veterans rebuild routines in a supportive way
4. British Military Fitness (BMF) – Now Be Military Fit
Founded by ex-army instructors, this outdoor fitness company has expanded nationally and continues to welcome veterans into both coaching and participant roles. Many former service personnel find the group structure helpful for regaining motivation.
Focus on outdoor, bodyweight-based workouts
Community feel and military-style encouragement
Veteran instructors who understand service life
The Link Between Physical and Mental Health
Veterans are more likely than the general population to experience:
Depression
Anxiety
PTSD
Alcohol dependency
Social withdrawal
Regular physical activity has been repeatedly shown to:
Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety
Improve sleep and concentration
Boost confidence and self-esteem
Create positive habits and routines
Provide social connection
In short, getting active again is not about fitness for appearance. It’s about reclaiming control. For many veterans, exercise becomes a bridge — from trauma to recovery, from isolation to connection, from confusion to clarity.
Stories of Strength
Simon – From Struggling to Stronger
Simon served in the Royal Engineers for 12 years. After leaving, he gained weight, stopped exercising and was diagnosed with PTSD. Attending a gym felt impossible. But after joining a veterans-only running group in Bristol, things changed.
“It wasn’t about speed. It was about showing up. Eventually I realised I was sleeping better, snapping less at my family, and feeling proud again — even if I was the slowest one there.”
Clare – Rebuilding Through Yoga
Clare, who served in the RAF, discovered yoga through a veterans’ retreat. What began as a curiosity became a daily practice that helped her process anxiety and reconnect with her body.
“In service, we’re told to be tough. But yoga taught me that softness is also a strength. It gave me peace when nothing else worked.”
These are just two of many stories showing that there is no one way to get stronger — only your way.
Easy Ways to Start
You don’t have to run marathons or lift heavy weights to benefit from movement. Here are veteran-recommended ways to ease back into physical and mental strength:
Daily walks, especially in nature
Stretching or mobility routines at home
Online classes designed for beginners or those with injuries
Veteran-led fitness groups (check with your local Armed Forces Covenant contact)
Setting small goals — 10 minutes of movement per day is enough to start
Connecting fitness with purpose — e.g. fundraising walks, charity events, volunteering that involves activity
For Veterans With Hearing Loss or PTSD
If you live with hearing loss or service-related trauma, fitness environments can be difficult. Here are some veteran-tested tips:
Use noise-cancelling headphones or ear defenders in busy spaces
Choose quiet times at the gym, or outdoor environments
Find veteran-only groups where the culture is more understanding
Inform instructors discreetly about any triggers or physical limitations
Start with solo workouts at home and build from there
You’re not being difficult. You’re adapting. And adaptation is a strength.
The Power of Peer Motivation
Perhaps the most important part of veteran fitness and wellbeing is not going it alone. Whether it’s meeting one person for a walk, joining a class, or simply swapping messages with others on the same journey — support makes a huge difference.
If you don’t know where to begin, check out:
Veterans UK
The Royal British Legion Recovery Services
Local Armed Forces Covenant officers
Veteran-owned gyms or fitness initiatives near you
Justice4Heroes is also working to spotlight local veteran groups through our network — so if you run or know of one, get in touch.
Final Thoughts
Whether you served 5 years or 25, whether you left last year or decades ago, your strength is still there — waiting to be reclaimed.
Visit www.justice4heroes.org to access resources, find veteran-friendly support, or connect with our partners
Sign the petition calling for justice for pre-1987 veterans who were excluded from key compensation schemes despite lifelong health consequences
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/715800
Your service was built on strength — physical, mental, emotional. And that strength has never left you. Let’s use it now to rebuild, reconnect and rise together.
